


A Price For Everything

by Diary



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Assassination Plot(s), Auror Harry Potter, Bechdel Test Pass, Conversations, Disturbing Themes, F/M, Family, Friends Become Romantic Partners, Holding Hands, Late Night Conversations, Minor Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, POV Neville Longbottom, Post-Deathly Hallows AU, Romance, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-09
Updated: 2016-09-09
Packaged: 2018-08-14 01:02:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7992856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diary/pseuds/Diary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Repost. AU. “Oh, we’re really playing with the big ones, now, aren’t we? This is nothing but an execution.” Complete.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Price For Everything

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Harry Potter.

Neville Longbottom knows this is the height of pathetic. He literally cannot ever sink any lower than this moment.

"Hello, Harry," Luna calls.

"Luna, there- Luna, why are you sitting on top of Neville?"

"He was trying to grab Bellatrix Lestrange's portkey."

Naturally, short, tiny Luna Lovegood's response was to hit him with a broomstick, jump on his back, and somehow, manage to keep her weight on him in such a way, no matter how hard he tries, he can't stand up, roll over, or otherwise dislodge her.

“Well, she’s long gone by now,” he bitterly points out. “Will you get off, now?”

George Weasley apparates over. “Harry, Ron’s- Blimey, do I even want to ask what this is all about? Feel like I’m interrupting something incredibly personal.”

Out of all the things Neville’s never going to live down, this is definitely at the top of the list.

“Bellatrix Lestrange,” Harry quietly answers.

“Ah,” George says. “Up you go, Miss Loony,” he says, and Neville feels the weight being lifted off him. “Not that your kind of insanity isn’t superbly entertaining, mind you.”

Harry helps Neville up. “What were you thinking? Do you even have a wand?”

“That’s rich, coming from you,” Neville snaps.

It isn’t as if Harry hasn’t spent the last six-to-seven years rushing headlong into danger, after all.

“We’ll find her.”

He just nods and limps toward the castle to go find his gran.

...

“She would have killed you.”

Jumping and almost knocking over his Mimbulus Mimbletonia, Neville looks over.

Luna Lovegood is clad in her nightdress and standing in his room with a broom in her hand next to his opened window. Despite the fact he’d have to be crazy to her go for her in such a way, this is still his gran’s house, and somehow, he doesn’t see her being okay with a nightdress-clad girl breaking into his room at- well, he’s not sure where his watch is, but it’s after dark, and everyone else is in bed.

Before he can say or do anything, however, she sits down on his bed. “Or she would have done the same thing she and the others did to your parents.”

“No offence, Luna, but it was my decision to make.”

Standing up, Luna lifts up her nightdress.

It takes him a minute to process what he’s looking at.

_Dirty half-blood_

_Mudblood mother_

_Idiot father_

_Worthless magazine_

The words are carved into Luna’s skin.

Hand going to his stomach, he turns.

She walks over. "Without your wand or the sword, you wouldn't have stood a chance. I don't want her hurting any of my friends more than she already has."

"Do you hate her, too?"

"I don't know," she answers. "But I know she needs to be stopped."

"So, do you have a plan, then?"

"I have several ideas on how to track her down. We should wait until I'm seventeen to start implementing them."

Neville takes a deep breath. Luna is as calm and airy as ever and speaking as if this makes complete sense. He feels there's something missing, because, it makes complete sense to him, too, and he's fairly sure it's not supposed to.

"This isn't your-"

The scarred words on her flesh flash through his mind. Xenophilius Lovegood is a shadow of the man he once was. For months, Luna was held in a dark basement, denied proper food, and tortured in many different ways.

"I had no right to say what I almost did."

"No, you didn't," she agrees.

"Okay.”

"Are you speaking honestly?"

"Yeah." He turns to look fully at her. "Let's face it, I'm likely to end up dead if I go at it on my own. And you're up there with Hermione in the brains department." 

"Neville," his gran calls.

Grabbing the broom, Luna goes into his closet.

He sticks his head out of his door. "Gran, are you alright?"  

"I thought I heard voices," she says. Lowering her wand, she inquires, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Sorry, I'll be quieter."

She peers in. "Neville, why do you have your window opened? Better yet, how did you get them open?"

Wincing, he remembers the windows have special goblin locks on them and briefly wonders how Luna opened them. "I wasn't thinking," he offers.

Shaking her head, she closes them and mutters a spell. "Be more careful." She reaches up to stroke his cheek. "The war may be over, but we're not completely safe, yet."

"I know, Gran."

Nodding, she pulls him down and kisses his forehead. "I'm very proud of you."

Once she's gone back to her room, he shuts the door and opens his closet. The broom is shoved in a far corner, and Luna is floating several finches above the ground.

"Aren't you worried about your dad," he asks.

"Yes," she answers. Lowering herself, she tells him, "He's one of the reasons I intend to do this. Dad will never be able to overcome his guilt while Bellatrix Lestrange is still around."

"There's a chance of failure you know."

"It's a chance I feel must be risked."

"Me too," he says. "Why don't we meet tomorrow at twelve?"

"You can come over to the Weasley's," she suggests.

"Alright," he agrees. "Er, how are you going to get out? I think Gran might have put an alarm on the window."

She digs out a bright red coin. "Portkey," she answers. "All the Weasleys plus Dad and I have one."

Briefly, Neville wonders if this is how Harry and Ron feel when dealing with Hermione.

"Goodbye, Neville."

"Bye, Luna."

...

Kissing him on the forehead, Mrs Weasley says, "Hello, sweetheart. Luna's trying to capture a garden gnome. I'll bring lunch out in a few minutes."

"You don't need to bring anything for me-"

"Don't be silly," she says. "You'll have more luck cheering her up than a gnome will. Xenophilius is off somewhere, still barely speaking to her," she confides.

Outside, he finds Luna with a gnome sitting in her lap and chewing on a strand of her hair. "Hello, Neville.”

"Hullo, Luna." He sits down a few feet away.

The gnome looks at him and starts to wander over but is stopped by Luna rattling a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.

While it's busy sorting through the box, Mrs Weasley appears with two floating trays. "Here you are, dears. How's the job hut going, Neville?"

"I applied for a job at a muggle florist shop in Seamus's town," he answers. "I gave them his phone number."

"Good," she says. "I'll leave the two of you alone."

They both thank her, and once she's gone, Luna comes to sit down next to him. "Bellatrix Lestrange won't go to her sisters. But we might still be able to use Draco Malfoy and his mother. Not in a way that will harm either of them."

"How?”

She digs two small, transparent balls with a strand of hair floating in each them out of her pocket. Holding up the whiter strand, she says, "This is Draco's. And,” she shakes the lighter strand, “this is his mother's."

"How'd you get those?"

"After the battle was over, I asked them. I believe they simply said yes because they wanted me to leave them alone. 

Neville reckons this is an extremely safe bet on her part.

"In Dublin, an old goblin taught me a ritual of sorts," she continues. "It's very strong magic, and I promised to never give the name of the goblin. I suppose you could say it's a way of placing something akin to the trace on someone. I've only used it on beasts before."

He isn't sure what to say. Finally, he settles for, "How soon can we put it on her?"

"We have to wait for my birthday," she reminds him. "Despite it being classified as goblin magic, the ministry might still be able to detect it. If they can, we'll have to become fugitives until we catch her."

"I'm going to kill her," he quietly tells her. "I don't care if we manage to disarm her. As soon as I get a clear shot, I'm using the killing curse."

She nods. "If I have to kill her in defence, I will. But my goal is to take away her power to continue hurting others."

"Okay," he says.

Her tone holds no judgement or encouragement, and from he can gather, however she feels, she won't stop him when the time comes. Some part of him, however, wants to know how she does feel about this.

"What do we do if we do become fugitives?"

"Hagrid is visiting Headmistress Maxime in France until the start of the term. If we're careful, we can use his hut for a bit." She frowns. "Perhaps, we could send him an owl."

"And say what?" It comes out more sarcastic than he intends. He understands her reservations: Hagrid doesn't deserve to have his hut broken into, especially by people he thought he could trust. "I'm sorry.”

"Bellatrix Lestrange is insane," she replies, "but she isn't as reckless or self-destructive as many people believe." Reaching over, she links her fingers through his. "I'm not Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, or Ronald Weasley, and how we go about this is likely to be very different from how they would. But I am someone you can trust, Neville."

He takes a breath. "I'm someone you can trust, too, Luna."

"I already know that."

They finish lunch in silence.

...

Lying in bed, Neville shifts against the cold feeling sweeping across him.

He's been feeling cold ever since he got home.

Sighing, he sits up, turns on his chandelier, and goes over to check on his plants. The Snapping Ivy twitches, and he kneels down. "You aren't feeling well, either?”

In the corner of his eye, there's movement.

Standing, he walks over to his nightstand, grabs his wand, and goes over to the windows.

He can't see anything but darkness. Pointing his wand against the window, he murmurs, “Lumos.”

There's the briefest flash of something, or maybe there isn't, he can't say for sure, but his whole body grows colder. "Gran!" He turns from the window and rushes out of his bedroom. "Gran!"

Appearing with her wand drawn, she demands, "Neville, what is?”

"Gran, I feel sick, like there's something wrong. Maybe it's nothing, but I want to leave."

For a moment, she hesitates, but taking his hand, she says, "Okay, let's go."

Pulling back, he says, "Not the Knight Bus, Gran. We have to go outside to do that."

"We'll see how much floo powder there is," she says.

He shivers.

Seeing there's only enough for one, he says, "Gran, go to the Burrow. One of them can come get me."

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not going to leave you here, Neville."

Ignoring her, he pushes her into the fireplace, quickly says, "The Burrow," and tosses the powder at her feet.

Green flames whisk her away, and he sighs in relief.

Still, the cold feeling grows, and clutching his wand, he goes to the front door.

Fighting against the fear, he reaches out-

There's a pop, and jerking his hand back, he turns around.

"Hiya, Neville," George Weasley greets. "Your Gran is rather creative, you know. The language on that woman," he says with a tsk. He holds out a bright red coin. "And she's always seemed so kind-hearted."

Taking the hand holding the coin, he guesses, "I'm not going to like this, am I?”

"Not one bit," is the cheerful response.

…

'Not one bit' is even more of an understatement than Neville had thought it would be.

He ends up heaving into a chamber pot while Arthur and Ron Weasley restrain a yelling Gran.

Someone rubs his back, and eventually, he's able to move and lean against a nearby couch.

Ginny hands him a glass.

"Cheers, Ginny," he croaks. After a few careful sips, he notes, "The shouting's stopped.”

"Mum's handling it."

Mr Weasley comes in. "All better, lad?"

"A little, sir," he answers. "My gran's okay?"

"Yes," Mr Weasley answers. He kneels down and pats Neville on the shoulder. "That was very brave of you. Think you can stand? Molly's making biscuits. Ginny, why don't you floo over to Bill's? If Luna's still up, you can bring her over. If she's not, let her sleep."

...

"When I tell you to go without me, you will obey me," Gran rants. "I did not raise you to-"

Walking into the room, Minerva McConagall says, "You raised your grandson to be brave and kind. Hello, Neville. Harry will be along shortly. You wouldn't happen to have any hot cocoa, would you, Molly?"

"Staying behind when there might be danger isn't bravery. It's stupidity!"

Neville quickly takes a bite of his vanilla-and-peanut butter biscuit. He may be brave when the wands are drawn, but he's nowhere near brave or stupid enough to point out _she’d_ been determined to stay behind.   

"Here you are, Minerva," Mrs Weasley says. "Would you care for some hazelnut biscuits?"

"No, thank you. I had a big dinner before going to bed."

"Sorry about this, Professor," he says.

"Don't be. Voldemort -don't flinch, Augusta- is gone, but Bellatrix Lestrange isn't the only one who managed to evade capture. Whether you're legitimately ill or your intuition was kicking in, you did the right thing in following your feelings."

"I feel fine, now," he says. Already doubt and guilt are starting to creep in and making him wonder if he caused a fuss over nothing.

Hand-in-hand, Luna and Xenophilius walk in. “Hello,” she says. “I’m glad to see you and your grandmother are alright, Neville.” 

A loud stream of colourful words alerts them to Harry presence in the living room. They rush in, and Neville sees Harry has the Mimbulus Mimbletonia under one arm and the Snapping Ivy encased in a protective glass it’s whacking against rather hard. Harry is covered in stinksap and wincing as it coats the deep, thin red cuts on his arms and hands.

“Harry, what happened,” someone asks.

Neville hurriedly takes the plants. “Hey, it’s fine, now,” he tells them. “Everyone’s safe.”

The Snapping Ivy stops whacking the glass, and Neville sets it down. Luna comes over and vanishes the glass.

Neville isn’t surprised when it reaches out and soundly smacks him across the knees.

Guiding Luna away, he says, “Come on. It wants to be left alone right now.”

After Harry has been cleaned and given some biscuits and pumpkin juice, he says, “I don’t know how to tell you this, but- Someone set your house on fire.”

“Lestrange,” Gran hisses.

“Why is it always fire with her,” Neville wonders aloud.

“We don’t know for sure it-”

“My garden,” Neville exclaims. He jumps up. “Harry, is the garden okay?”

“Neville,” Gran scolds. “After he risked his life for those plants of yours-”

“I didn’t- Harry, I am grateful for you getting them out, but Gran, our food! Never mind the flowers, what about all the vegetables and fruits?”

She reaches over, pulls him back into his seat, and gives him a look. “We do have gold. We can buy fruits and vegetables if the garden didn’t survive.”

“Mrs Longbottom, Neville, you don’t seem to understand: Going back your house isn’t an option. If Bellatrix Lestrange is responsible, which is a good possibility, she will-”

“That house was bought by my husband a little over fifty-one years ago, Mister Potter,” Gran firmly informs him. “I’ve raised two boys in it. When it’s time, it’ll be Neville’s.”

“It won’t be if he’s not alive to inherit it,” McGonagall interjects. “Be sensible, Augusta. Until you can find a new place, you and Neville will stop with me. He’ll love being around the greenhouses, and Pomona will be thrilled to have such enthusiastic labour. And you and I-” There’s a noticeable pause. “Your grandson will be safe and happy.”

“Minerva, one of us will end up dead. That would rather defeat the point.”   

“Is the house still standing, then?”

Everyone jumps when Luna’s airy voice fills the room.

“Yes,” Harry answers. Neville notices he looks oddly relieved. “But it’s badly damaged. I don’t know what all inside it is hurt. I can’t technically stop you from going back, but it will take time to sort through things and undo the fire damage.”  

“Until then, the two of you can stop here,” Mr Weasley says.

“Yes, that’s a good idea,” Mrs Weasley agrees with a nod. “Augusta, you can take Bill’s old room, and, Neville, you can take the Percy’s.”

There’s a brief look of sadness on her face, and Mr Weasley takes her hand and kisses her head.

“Luna can stay if she wants, but I’m going,” Xenophilius starts.

“No,” both Weasley elders interject.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Xenophilius, you’ll wake Bill and Fleur,” Mrs Weasley says. “You can kip in the twins’ old room,” and the look of sadness is even more painful to see, “and Luna can share with Ginny. Minerva, perhaps, it‘d be best if you stayed, as well.”

“I’ll be fine, Molly. I plan on flooing straight back to Hogwarts.”

She stands up and leans over to kiss Gran on the cheek. “Come over for tea tomorrow.”

After she leaves, Mrs Weasley quickly gets everyone settled into his or her assigned rooms. Sitting down next to the window, Neville looks outside. Physically, all he feels is warm and cosy, but inside, he feels the anger building.

...

Soon enough, it's Luna birthday, and she skips around in silvery robes matching her eyes and a pointed, blue in colour hat covered in slowly moving stars. Mrs Weasley makes a giant bowl of pudding and several different cakes, and Ginny decides to put mistletoe around the Burrow after Luna inspects all of them and declares them nargle-free.

Even Xenophilius seems to come back to himself some. Earlier, he had a conversation with Luna about something with a long, complicated name involving cow’s blood.

"Neville," Ron orders, "dance with Luna."

Before Neville can respond, Ron has fled.

They start dancing.

"Haven't seen much of him, lately," he comments.

"Drs Granger and Granger are still deciding whether they like him or not," she says. "Midnight tonight?"

He nods and tries to ignore the sinking sensation in his stomach. No matter what, he's going to do this, but he's starting to realise it's not going to be near as easy as he hoped.

"Time for presents!" Mr Weasley calls.

Not letting go of his hand, Luna leads him to the living room and takes a seat in the middle of one of the couches.

Everyone sings, and Xenophilius hands his daughter an oddly wrapped present. Neville hears Ron ask Harry, "And you and Hermione are absolutely sure the present's safe? I don't want my house being blown up."

The present turns out to be a No-Fire Needed, Everlasting Candle. It'll never melt or accidentally burn something.

"Neville, give her your present," Gran says.

Trying not to show his irritation about them not giving her a joint gift, he does.

He has no idea how to pick out a gift for a girl. If it were Hermione, he'd just ask for a list of all the books she's read and go to bookshops until he found a book not on the list. With anyone else, especially someone as different as Luna, he's lost.

"Thank you, Neville," she says. Her eyes bright as she cuddles with the Snargaluff, and he lets himself relax slightly.

A vine shoots out and attacks George's hair when he tries to rearrange the presents.

"Oi, I'm not trying to steal any of them!"

Grudgingly, the vines retreat but not before menacingly hovering near where his ear used to be.

Ginny's present is a broom with Luna's name inscribed on it. Harry's is a mokeskin pouch slightly bigger than the one he has. George gives her two gift certificates to his shop. Ron gives her a box of chocolate frogs. Hermione gives her a book on astronomy. Mrs Weasley gives her a hand-knitted blue nightdress. Mr Weasley gives her a stack of shelf-shuffling cards. Bill and Fleur give her a muggle tent and a magical telescope. Finally, Gran gives her a cookbook.

This strikes him as peculiar, but Luna seems to be happy with it.

Everyone begins dancing and either trying to avoid the mistletoe or attempting to get under it.

When they end up alone in a corner, he says, "We should wait until after we get stuff from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.”

She nods and stands on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "Mistletoe," she explains.

He looks up to see someone has enchanted the mistletoe to fly around, and sighing, he brings his fingers to the spot she kissed.

...

"Hello," George cheerfully greets. "Take your time and look about." 

Neville looks over at Luna. She’s withdrawing the certificates from her now-painted mokeskin pouch. Stars, plants, and insects cover it. Briefly, he wonders if he should be getting her involved in all this. She's only just seventeen, and things seem to be going a little better between her and her father.

He remembers the scarred words on her flesh, remembers her grabbing a broom when his fingers were so close to Bellatrix Lestrange's portkey, and remembers she's always been honest. If she decides she isn't going to help him, she'll tell him, and they can part.

Showing him the price, she asks, "Extendable Ears?

Looking around to make sure no one is near enough to hear them, he answers, "I reckon they might be useful. Used them often enough at Hogwarts."

"Portable swap?"

"I don't know. I can't think of anything, but if you can, we should get it."

"We'll come back to it," she says. "A Skiving Snackbox and box of Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-bangs are important."

"Oh, what for," George asks.

He’s relieved to see Luna jump, too.

"We might go camping," Luna informs George. "The colours these make are very pretty."

Neville knows he's a terrible liar, and he knows he must be showing all outwards signs of being caught in a lie, despite him not being the one carefully dodging George’s actual question. However, George simply smirks at them and shakes his head. "Just be careful any camping trips don't produce babies."

By the time implications can sink in, George has wandered off.

Luna automatically grabs him when he starts to follow. "At the moment, it isn't important what the others think.”

"Right, I suppose," he says. "Decoy Detonators and Peruvian Instant Darkness Powders literally saved us a few times."

She nods, and he puts them in the cart.

"Sticky Trainers could be potentially useful." After he puts those in, she asks, "Anything else you can think of?"

He shakes his head.

"We still have enough for the swamp. I'll get some self-inking quills and a Patented Daydream Charm, as well."

They go up to the counter.

"How's the job hunt going, Neville?"

"Not well," he answers. "Muggles have these new box-like things called 'computers', and most places want people who have experience in using them. Seamus and Dean tried to teach me, and that didn't go well."

It had ended in Neville swearing to a terrifying Mrs Finnegan it really was him and not her son who had somehow blown the box-thing up. She'd easily fixed it, but the fact he caused an argument between her and Seamus had been enough to make him veto any future lessons.

"Yes, if only you were a wizard," George says, "who could apply for jobs in the wizarding world."

"I don't want to be given a job just because I managed to kill a snake," Neville protests.

"Your call, mate," George says, and Neville's struck with the memory of him when he was younger and awed and jealous of the grown-up way the twins would occasionally treat Ron. "Fortescue is reopened. Are you two going to go?"

"No," Luna answers. "Thank you, George."

"Do you two know how to any adventures? You," he says with a look at Neville, "you do more chores than any of the others. And you, Miss Loony, you really need to start interacting with people in public. Can't talk to the gnomes and us only for the rest of your life."

"We don't have any money," is Luna’s unperturbed response.   

"At Hogwarts," Neville starts.

Shaking his head, George drops a pouch in their cart. "Yes, yes, you're very brave, helping lead DA and killing the snake. Now, for Merlin's sake, go to Fortescue's and buy this pretty little witch some ice-cream."

An Umbridge toy shouts it will have order and literally chases them out.

...

After the shopping trip and supper, he pins a note to Gran’s door and waits by the fireplace.

Luna appears in her silvery robes, starry blue pointed hat, and radish earrings with her mokeskin pouch in her hands.

"Are you sure about this," he asks.

"Are you?"

"Yes."

"So am I."

They link hands, leave, and lock the door behind them.

...

After getting her broom from the Weasley’s shed, they fly to the Forbidden Forest.

She takes out her candle, ignites it, and taps her mokeskin pouch with her wand. "Try to take something out. I think I've made it so that you can."

He withdraws her telescope.

"We'd better set up the tent," he says.

"I'll do that." She withdraws a self-inking quill and a book on Herbology. "You can make notes of plants that might be helpful."

...

Once it’s light out and protective charms are surrounding the tent, they sit inside and look down at the symbol she's drawn on a piece of paper. She lays one of the strands of hair on it and carefully holds up a shard of mirror over the hair. Closing her eyes, she mutters in Gobbledegook.

When she opens her eyes, however, she frowns.

"What is it? If it doesn't work, we can find other options, Luna."

"I believe it will," she answers. "Goblin magic is often extremely based in balance and reciprocity. Before, I could do the ritual due to the neutral reasons I had for doing it. Now, my reasons are darker and much more complex. It'll require blood."

"I can-"

"No," she says. "Neville, if this works, I can't kill her, even in defence. The deal I'll be making is: I'll use this to shed her blood, and in return, my blood will be shed. It only applies, however, if I'm the one who physically takes her life." Tilting her head, she says, "It's not right, misusing the arts like this, but if we're careful, only she will be harmed."

"Luna-" He pauses.

"I've made my decision," she reminds him.

She brings the shard across her finger and lets the blood stain it and drip on the hair and paper. Closing her eyes, she resumes muttering.

The strand of hair flies up and, from what Neville can tell, disappears into the mirror. Then, all of the blood and Luna’s cut disappear.

Luna opens her eyes. She brings the shard back to the mirror she removed it from and repairs it. "It worked," she says.

The mirror is pitch black when he looks at it.

"It doesn't show dreams. She must be sleeping or otherwise unconscious."

He sighs. "It'll be up to me, then. You can't get near enough for her to hurt you, Luna."

"If giving my life is the price for stopping her, I've already resolved to pay it." She digs out a wrapped piece of raw meat from one of her pockets. "The thestrals will help keep any quanliers away."

"What's a quanlier?"

"They're not like Professor Lupin was," she answers. "They're a..."

...

For several days, little happens.

From what they can gather from looking through Bellatrix Lestrange's eyes via the mirror, she's inside some sort of cave. If she ever leaves, it's when they're both asleep. Luna tries using her spectrespecs, but all she can gather from them is Bellatrix Lestrange is supposedly sad, and this causes invisible embryonic dementors to flock to her.

They play with the thestrals, eat the preservable food they brought and the plants Neville deems safe, use the self-cleaning chamber pot and one of the self-refilling paper rolls they found at the Weasley's (Neville had left money at the Burrow), and listen to his wireless.

One morning, Neville wakes up, untangles himself from Luna, and goes outside to find himself staring at Aberforth Dumbledore.

Freezing, he stands still.

Wand pointed, Aberforth says, "Hmm, I know someone's there. It'd be wise to show yourself."

For ten minutes, Neville stands as still as he can.

"Neville?"

Aberforth doesn't show any acknowledgement of her voice, and Neville calls, "Luna, we have a problem."

Luna comes out of the tent. "Oh," she says. Stepping in front of Neville, she moves until she's only an inch or two away and sticks her hand out.

"Come out," Aberforth says with a puzzled look at where Luna's hand is. 

Quickly, Luna reaches through the charms, grabs the wand, and retreats. "Neville."

He reaches out, takes her hand, and together, they walk out.

"You again," Aberforth comments.

Luna hands the wand back.

"Thank you. Your grandmother and Headmistress McGonagall have been worried sick."

Looking down, Neville takes a deep breath. "With all the rebuilding being done, Bellatrix Lestrange is staying low, making sure she doesn't give them many leads to go on. But she's our top priority."

Aberforth sighs. "I know your story. Now, what about you, missy?"

"My father," she answers. "The families of my friends. Finding her may not heal them, but it will ensure no one else suffers as they have and do."

Aberforth visibly deflates. "If the two of you are willing to work, I'll give you food and let you use the passage to the room."

...

"Thank you, Ariana," Neville says with a small wave.

She smiles, waves, and puts her hand out. He carefully puts his on the painting. She curtseys and wanders away.

"She's very fond of you," Luna comments. "I noticed that before."

Neville concentrates on the room.

In truth, when he first met Ariana Dumbledore, she strongly reminded him of a combination of Luna and his mum from her blonde hair, dreamy expression, and just the air she gave out. Even though he was tired, in unbelievable physical pain, and frankly, half-mad, he still knew he should be gentle.

Two beds appear with a dividing curtain between them along with two bathrooms, and he concentrates on telling the room not to let any of the staff find them. 

...

"Neville, wake up.”

He feels his arm being shaken, and light invades his eyes.

Once he sits up and stops blinking enough to properly look at her, she hands him a sketchbook. "She's left the cave. Here are some of the places she's been."

"It looks like she's in a forest.” He looks between the sketches and the mirror and wishes he could hear her speak. "We need to find some way to draw her out."

Luna stares at the drawings. "It may not work, but I have an idea."

"We need all those we can get," he responds.

"The thestrals may be able to take us here if we show them the sketches. They can go places the rider has never been to and doesn't know the directions to as long as an address and an idea of where exactly the rider wishes is used."

"It's worth a try," Neville says. He digs out his watch. "Do you think we should wait until daylight, or would know be the best time to go?"

"Daylight," she answers. "It would best to eat before we leave, don't you think?"

...

"I'm sorry," Neville tells the baby thestral firmly gripping on his robes, "but you can't come with us."

A somewhat violent shake makes clear the little one's opinion on the matter.

"Luna!"

She appears with a grown one. "Hello. Can you steal Draco Malfoy's green apples like Neville taught your mum?"

Letting go of his robes, the baby gives a huff, nudges her, and trots off.

"He's not going to be happy, when he realises."

"Yeah," Neville agrees. "It's for the best, though."

"I think this one can take us."

...

They get to a forest resembling Luna's sketches.

"Thank you," she tells the thestral. "We have a broom. Please, go back to Hogwarts, now."

Once it does, Neville reaches over and takes her hand. "If she gets the advantage, try to get away and summon help. I want one of us to survive."

"I'll do what I feel is necessary," is all she's willing to concede.

They look in the mirror.

Bellatrix Lestrange is still in the cave.

He has to kill her. It doesn't matter what's right or wrong. He has to. "What's the plan?"

"Trees," Luna says with a look up.

Once they're in one, she says, "She likely has a wand. We can try summoning it."

Neville looks at her. His heart is beating too fast, his stomach is burning, and there are too many thoughts and feelings going on inside of him. Leaning over, he kisses her on the lips. "If one or both of us dies, I just want you to know that I'm glad I met you that day on the Hogwarts Express. You terrified me, Luna, and I had some rather mean thoughts towards you, but I'm glad for that day, now."

She smiles. "Accio, Bellatrix Lestrange's wand."

A wand lands on her lap.

Reaching over, he quickly snaps it in half.

"You watch the ground, I'll watch the mirror," she says. "Accio, Bellatrix Lestrange's portkey."

Nothing happens. 

Eventually, Luna says, “She’s leaving the cave.”

For a long time, wherever she is, it’s not near the tree.

Finally, Luna says, “Be ready.”

He aims his wand, and he feels his breath catch when Bellatrix Lestrange comes into sight.

Grabbing his hand, Luna whispers, “No. She’s wearing the Weasley shielding clothes.”

Of course, she is, is really Neville’s only thought on the matter when he sees the distinctive Shield hat, gloves, and cloak. If he didn’t hate her so much, he’d have to give her credit for not letting her thoughts on the blood traitor Weasleys stop her from recognising she can make use of their contributions to society.

“New plan, now,” he hisses.

Down below, Lestrange stops and cocks her head.

Luna slides down, whacks her with the broom, jumps on her back, and presses the top of the broom against the back of her neck. “Can you get down?”

Concentrating, Neville carefully uses his wand to lower himself down. Ignoring the hysterical laughter from Lestrade, he takes off the hat and gloves, and looks around for something sharp to cut with.

“The mirror,” Luna says.

“Right.” Picking it up off the ground and taking the unbreakable charm off it, he magically removes a shard from it and floats it over.

“Aw, ittle-bitty Neville Longbottom has learned how to play,” Lestrange’s hoarse voice taunts. “Too bad he has to rely on his filthy, little half-blood girlfriend to help him avenge Mummy and Dada.”

“The man you loved was half-blood,” Luna responds and pokes Lestrange when she thrashes violently at this.

“He came back once, he’ll do it again!”

“Even if he does, you won’t be around to see it,” Neville declares.

“Dementor kiss is all gone,” Lestrange singsongs. “Muggle-lover Shacklebolt’s made sure of that.”

When neither says anything, the air changes, and her laughter is even louder. “Oh, we’re really playing with the big ones, now, aren’t we? This is nothing but an execution.”

Some part of him wants to protest, but he’s already admitted it to himself. He’s doing what Malfoy tried to do, what Harry and the law will condemn, and what should have been done when she was first captured. Another part of him wants to just use the shard and kill her via neck, but doing so would be a painful death. Giving her a fast, painless one doesn’t make any of this better, but out of all his hate, he doesn’t want to see her suffer, he just wants her gone.

He flies the shard back, and suddenly, there’s burst of pain.

While he lays in shock, he hears, “Stupefy! Petrificus Totalus! Levicorps!”

“Neville!”

The sun’s bright in his eyes, and he wants to tell her to forget about him and keep following Lestrange. He can’t speak, though, and suddenly, instead of the harsh sun, he’s looking into the bright, non-burning silver eyes of Luna.

He realises she really does have some of the prettiest eyes he’s ever seen.

Healing spells wash over him, and she helps him sit up. “Wandless magic. She’s gone.”

“Did she take the hat or gloves?”

“No,” she answers. Looking down at the mirror, she tells him, “Her eyes are closed.”

“Which way did she go?”

Getting her mokeskin pouch and broom, she helps him stand. “This way.”

They come across a large gathering of caves, and he sighs.

Luna points her wand, and every opening has bars across it. She retrieves their shielding clothing, helping him put his on, and they find a nearby tree. Sitting on different sides, they wrap their arms behind them so they can link hands.

“Before we met on the train, I knew about you,” Luna says. “Even then, I could see your connection to plants. I thought of talking to you once or twice, but I imagined you would have been polite, and then, told the others about the loony girl who tried to talk to you."   

"You were right," he apologetically answers.

"Sometimes, I still wish I had. But I'm glad I met you on the train that day, too."

...

When night falls and there’s still no sign of Bellatrix Lestrange, they use Luna's candle and look down at the mirror.

"I think she's deliberately keeping her eyes closed."

Anger boiling, Neville stands up. "I'm going inside. If something goes wrong, get to safety. You can still help Harry and them."

She pulls him down and kisses him.

The bars are vanished, and he whispers, "Lumos.”

Sticking close to the wall, he moves through the cave and tries to ignore his too-fast beating heart and his thoughts of Luna. "Come out, Lestrange! Let's finish what you started!"

There's laughter, and then, total darkness.

Eventually, he hears Luna say, "Lumos."

"The swamp was useful," she informs him, and he takes in the sight of her standing over Lestrange. Aside from being covered in green moss, Lestrange seems to have been subjected to the leg-locker curse and Incarerous. 

"I saw you," Lestrange says, and her eyes are piercing him. "You were going to open the door, weren't you? You should have, then. Prison isn't the place for you, boy. You're always going to be weak!"

"Avada-" Green light fills the tip of his wand. "Avada-"

She laughs. "You and little Potter, playing with magic you're too scared to use. Need me to make it easier for you? Want to hear about how Dada begged us to let Mummy and baby go? Want to know how Mummy-"

"Silencio," Luna says.

Still, the eyes taunt him.

Neville takes a deep breath. He can do this. For his mum, dad, and gran, he can do this.

He looks at Luna. Wand aimed, she's looking intently at the bound woman.

"You're right," he tells Lestrange. "Stupefy."

Looking at Luna, he says, "Get the others."

Nodding, she digs out her DA coin. Blue mist leads a trail from where they stand to the outside.

His heart is still beating too fast, but he feels a sense of relief. When it comes down to it, he knows who he wants to be, and it isn’t someone who would kill a restrained person. He's not an assassin.

Feeling a change in the air, he looks up.

George Weasley appears, grabs Luna, and disappears. Next, he feels someone grabbing him.  

...

Professor McGonagall is looking at them in such a way even Luna seems to shrink.

"I do hope the two of you are proud of yourself."

"Do they have her, Professor,” he inquires. “In custody?"

With her right eye literally twitching, Professor McGonagall answers, "Yes, Lestrange is in custody. Do the two of you have any idea how badly your actions have affected your grandmother and father? Augusta almost had heart failure!"

"Gran's tougher than that," he protests.

"I left Dad a note explaining things," Luna adds.

"We both did."

Her response to this is to take a deep breath and declare, "Aside from death eaters, I have never attacked any former students of mine. I think it best I leave before I can no longer make that claim. If the two of you know what's good for you, you will stay here until I return."

She storms out, slams the door, and there's the click of locking charms being put in place.

Neville looks around. "Where are we?"

"Number 12 Grimmauld Place," Luna answers. She points to a picture of Harry, Hermione, and Ron standing together and another one of the Harry, Hermione, Professor Lupin and Auror Tonks, and Sirius Black with the Weasley family.

Taking his hand, she continues, "You aren't weak.” Before he can respond, she kisses him. "You make me feel safe and strong."

...

They're redressed by the time Gran storms in. "You're coming home this instant. And why is your hair so messy? Did you forget how to use a comb while you were busy putting yourself and Luna in life-threatening danger?"

"I chose to-"

"And you! Was this your idea, or did you go along with my grandson? Xenophilius-"

The arrival of several aurors and Harry interrupts her tirade.

"What's going on," Gran demands.

Feeling sick to his stomach, Neville asks, "Did she escape?"

"No," Harry quickly assures them. "Lestrange has made some- She's still alive.”

Taking Neville’s hand, Luna asks, "What did she accuse of us of?”

He already knows the answer: She accused them of the truth.

"Harry, Luna didn't do anything but disarm her."

"After everything she's done, my grandson is being accused of wrongdoing," his gran incredulously butts in with her wand clutched rather threateningly.

"Ma'am," one of the aurors says, "she claimed Mister Longbottom attempted to use the killing curse. And she claimed that Miss Lovegood stood there, making it clear she wouldn't interfere."

"So what," Neville demands. "No sane person would try to stop a person who-"

"Is there any proof besides her word," Luna interrupts.

"Neville," Gran softly says. She looks between them. "Neville wouldn't- Neville, tell them."

"May we check your wands," one of the aurors asks. "If they don't reveal anything-"

Wishing he remembered how far back a revealing spell went, Neville says, "You can check mine, but not in front of Gran." If by some chance he comes out of this, he still doesn't want his Gran to be around when the contraceptive charm is revealed.

"Neville-"

"No, Gran," he firmly insists.

"If you've done something-"

Looking closely at Luna, Harry says, "Mrs Longbottom, Neville not wanting you to know what spells he's been using may not have anything to with Lestrange."

"What's that supposed to-"

McGonagall appears. "I came as soon as I heard. Neville, Miss Lovegood, don't worry, the word of a muderous madwoman will never hold any weight."

Neville feels too guilty to look at her, and Gran wearily replies, "Minerva."

There's a change in the air.

"No," McGonagall says. "Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, surely, you two-"

"They won't hand over their wands."

"I will," Neville protests. "Just not in front of Gran. And Luna can do whatever she wants."

"I won't, either."

For a long moment, there's a silence.

Abruptly, McGonagall says, "Augusta, look at them. They're holding hands. Have you ever seen his hair this messy?"

"I am capable of seeing, Minerva. Now, what exactly does my grandson's hair and the two holding hands have to do with their refusal to-"

"Augusta, believe me, the thought isn't pleasant, but try for a moment to puzzle out how a teenage boy, locked in a room with a teenage girl, could get his hair in such a mess."

"Professor," Neville protests.

"Oh," is Gran’s almost inaudible response. "If his wand reveals anything incriminating, I am to be summoned at once. Luna's, too. Minerva, let's go get a cup of something strong."

They leave.

Neville hands his wand to a rather uncomfortable-looking Harry.

One of the aurors takes it and does something to make lights emit. "There's two instances of an interrupted spell or spells. Consistent with her claim he tried twice."

Luna hands her wand over.

"None on hers."

"Neville," Harry says.

Before he can continue, Luna says, "There's a possibility I used Neville's wand."

"No, there isn't," he snaps. "Luna, you-"

"Yes, there is," she insists.

"You didn't. Luna, stop trying to protect me," he orders. "I made my choices, and-"

"There's a possibility you both used one another's wands," Harry interrupts. "Lestrange is willing to submit to a penseive, but she's insane. Her memory can't be trusted. Until we figure this out, I suggest we confine both to the Burrow. I'll vouch for both of their characters."

...

He wakes up to Ginny shaking him.

"Wha?"

"Up," she insists with a sharp poke.

By the time they get to the living room, he's awake enough to take in a severe looking goblin. "Foolish boy, letting her do it," he snaps at Neville.

"Er?"

Harry speaks up. "Luna told us about the goblin magic she used on the mirror."

"Foolish, stupid brats!"

"Hey," he protests. "The magic didn't hurt-"

"She didn't understand! Knowingly or not, the deal was, Lestrange's life for her life. She assumed that meant she couldn't kill her without direct consequence. In reality, if Lestrange had died of unrelated heart failure while the spell was active, she would have died, too."

The feelings overwhelm him, and Ginny helps him sit down.

"It's your choice to use me or not, Potter,” the goblin continues, “but if you do, I refuse to deviate from my testimony. I don't know which one Lovegood intended to do it, but the magic was implemented with the understanding that, once found, Lestrange would be killed. At least, she was guilty of abetting Longbottom, having full knowledge of his intent. At most, she planned to be the one to do the deed."

Neville takes a breath. "That's not true. Harry, I'm c-confessing. I planned to k-kill Lestrange. Luna made it clear she just wanted to stop her from hurting people. If she'd gotten to Lestrange first, she'd have summoned you and the others. But we got there at basically the same time, and I had my wand pointed before she could do anything. You can't blame Luna for not wanting to risk getting hurt or hurting me, not for Lestrange's sake."

"Shit," Harry exhales with a pained look.

Putting his hands behind his head, Neville continues, "Lestrange's dangerous, and if we'd come across her with a wand, we'd have probably had to kill her to protect ourselves."

As Harry takes Neville's wand and casts a restraining charm, he looks at the goblin.

"It could be," the goblin says. "If Lovegood was realistic enough- Going into such a situation, death would likely occur. I doubt it, but yes, there's a possibility."

...

Thankfully, Luna isn’t in Azkaban. She's been put under house arrest at Bill and Fleur's.

With no dementors, Azkaban isn't terrible. Mostly, he's been bored and lonely, but he's used to both.

...

On the day of his trial, he asks, "Gran?"

Straightening his robes, she declares, "We're not talking about this. I've already lost two children, and I'll be damned if I'll lose you, too." She rubs his cheeks to make sure he didn't miss anything shaving.

He sighs.

It isn't a good sign, he's not feeling any guilt, he knows. The thought of taking human life still sickens him, but whenever he thinks back to the cave, he doesn't feel anything. Lestrange is human, and he tried to kill her. He stopped, but he still wishes for her death.

They leave in silence, and he tries to find the words to apologise. He's not sure whether it's for plotting an assassination attempt or for not succeeding in killing Lestrange he feels the worst about, but he definitely feels guilt and shame at ending up in Azkaban. His parents are heroes, and he's managed to get himself thrown in jail at the age of eighteen with his picture and the Longbottom name splashed all over the news.

Neville doesn't fool himself into thinking his parents would be anything but appalled by his actions.

"Thank you, Gran," he says.

A guard does a security check on him. 

She gives him a drained look. "I'm tired of regrets, Neville."

Before he can ask what she means, they're directed to the portkey.

...

"Here, drink this," Gran says.

He complies, and she squeezes his hand.

Realising he doesn’t know what he drank or why, he asks, "Gran, what was that?"

Looking around, she absently answers, "Nerve tonic.”

Slowly, the courtroom fills, and when the clock strikes nine, she grabs his wrist. "Don't panic."

Suddenly, there's a thick, dark haze filling the room with a strong, unidentifiable smell accompanying it, and Gran's tugging his hand. "It's alright, Neville, come along. We just have to keep walking," she says. He can make out the people, hear their coughs and confusion, and realises he's not affected as they are, but when he tries to stop, Gran jerks him. "They are people trained to help. We have to get out."

Soon, he finds himself in fresh air and trying to blink away his confusion. "Gran, what in the hell-"

"Language," she orders. "We're in the out-of-order fifth floor toilets. Be patient."

"What happened in-"

He's interrupted by a several small pops.

"Luna," he breathes out.

"Hello, Neville."

After they break the hug, he sees Xenophilius and Narcissa and Draco Malfoy are standing nearby.

Pressing something into his hands, Gran says, "Neville, you're leaving."

In his hands is his wand and a pouch.

Realisation hits him.

"No, Gran. I'm not going on the run."

"Yes, you are," Mrs Malfoy icily declares. "If I have to stupefy you myself, you are."

"Dad and I are going to leave," Luna tells him. "I'm sorry, Neville, but I have to think of him. If it were just me, I would accept whatever punishment, but-"

"Luna, you don't need to apologise. The last thing I want is for you to be put in Azkaban," he assures her. "But I don't understand any of this."

"It's rather simple," Draco says. "Mother wants to make things as even as she can with your grandmother. She managed to find a flying carpet and supplied your grandmother with the potion to counteract the modified dung bombs. We’re going to apparate you and Loony to the carpet, and you are going to fly to some country outside ministry jurisdiction. Mother and I are here for a crup license. We'll testify we saw your grandmother wandering around, dazed and confused, trying to find you."

"We'd have to be mad to- Never mind that! Gran, you know-"

Gran looks him straight in the eye. "Neville, I never knew how to raise you. When you were a tot, you had a streak of rebelliousness, like most children do. I was strict, and unlike your father, you quickly fell in line. I spent the rest of your childhood trying to get you to develop a tougher skin, and maybe if I were more like Alice, soft-hearted and patient, I could have done that."

"Gran," he tries.

"You've proven that, despite the mistakes I made, you've managed to develop into a man who can take care of himself," she continues. "I know enough about you to know that you're not a cold-blooded murderer, and I'm not going to see you deprived of the chance to make a good life for yourself. Please, Neville, go with them and leave. When you get outside of ministry jurisdiction, send me an owl."

"They can still find me non-guilty," he points out.

"We don't have much time," Mrs Malfoy snaps. "You tried to kill my sister, Mister Longbottom, but any loyalty I once had for her is gone for good. Do as your grandmother says, or I shall make good on my threat."

Grabbing him, Gran kisses his cheek. "I love you, Neville."

"I love you, too, Gran."

Suddenly, his hand is grabbed, and he feels himself being apparated away.

…

Sighing, he brings a hand to his stomach and sees they're near Shell Cottage.

"I'm sorry," Xenophilius says. "If you want to go back, we won't stop you."

Neville looks over at Luna.

"I want you to come, but I understand you have to decide for yourself."

Hoping he doesn't regret this, he reaches over to take his hand. "We better hurry."

The three walk over to the carpet, and he sees his trunk, the Snapping Ivy, and his Mimbulus Mimbletonia are waiting along with a trunk for the Lovegoods. They sit down, clasp hands, and Luna leans her head against his shoulder.

The carpet lifts upwards.


End file.
